9.29.2008

Somebody sign Chicago up for some mojo lessons

Everybody tells me what a great race Chicago is. They say the crowds are great. The course is flat and nice. The restaurants are superb. It's well organized. I'll love it, etc. Well, so far, my expectations are going to be easily exceeded.

I read through the race confirmation booklet last night which I thought would inspire me. To the contrary, I felt like I was reading the high school Student Code of Conduct with the applicable punishments for everything that could possibly happen after some miscreant soiled the exhaustive repetitive rules and regulations. I was cringing at how anal it came across. I kept remembering how the New York handbook was informative without finger-wagging.

Wait. What is the race condition at the moment? Are we in a code yellow all over town because of rain?

I was really galled when it said nobody should be on the course offering any food or drink other than that provided by the race. Sure, some risk management lawyer is covering their butt over somebody getting sick for God knows what reason; but good grief. My most memorable marathon race moments include the infamous red cups at Miami, Marine Corps, and Georgia; the paper cup from a resident who shared pineapple slices at mile 18 in New York; the bottle of water in Georgia from a neighborhood group when there was no water from the race because the organizers were unprepared; the pretzels from fans in Arlington late in the Marine Corps race.

I hope it gets better than this. I don't like the Chicago race planners right now. Their booklet was all the fine print blown up to bum us out. I expected a positive welcoming message. It wasn't there.

11 comments:

Risk management rules the large corporation I work for. While I can understand the need for some level of it, the degree to which it is taken sucks the life right out of any kind of creativity and out of the box thinking.

I'm sure the when you get to Chicago, the true human spirit will prevail and you'll have the race you are hoping for.

I'm with you on the negative talk from a race being a bit unwelcoming. There is a local favorite marathon around here, which has become overtly negative in the past few years about its stance on Ipods. It has definitely kept me from signing up the past couple of years.

I have to agree, David. Chicago will be my first marathon, and I really want it to be like the first Prom! After reading the book, I was feeling a little let down. The list of restrictions did go on and on, didn't it?

No cell phones? A basic rule of safety is to carry one. You never know what might happen. So, I will be forced to hide mine!

Aren't they under new management this year? And I'm sure after last year they are all about covering their hides in any scenario! I think most races have that many rules, you just normally have to read them on the website. You need to do LA next year - then I think you'll have all the major cities covered!